among us.

"Young people," said he, with a look on his face which it seemed to me
was partly grave and partly diverted, "considering that you are more
travelled persons than I, I come to you for information. Have you--any
of you--while in England, either seen or heard anything of one Mr
George Whitefield, a clergyman of the Church of England, who is commonly
reckoned a Methodist?"

Angus made a grimace, and said, "Plenty!"

Flora was doubtful; she thought she had heard his name.

I said, "I have heard his name too, Uncle; but I do not know much about
him, only Father seemed to think it a good joke that anybody should
fancy him a wise man."

"Angus appears to be the best informed of you," said my uncle. "Speak
out, my boy, and tell us what you know."

"Well, he is a queer sort of fellow, I fancy," said Angus. "He was one
of the Methodists; but they say those folks have had a split, and
Whitefield has broken with them. He travels about preaching, though, as
they do; and they say that the reason why he took to field-preaching was
because no church would hold the enormous congregations which gathered
to hear him. He has been several times to the American colonies, where
they say he draws larger crowds than John Wesley himself."

"A good deal of `They say'," observed Uncle Drummond, with a smile. "Do
`they say' that the bishops and clergy are friendly to this remarkable
preacher, or not?"

"Well, I should rather think not," answered Angus. "There is one bishop
who has stuck to him through thick and thin--the Bishop of Gloucester,
who gave him his orders to begin with; but the rest of them look askance
at him over their shoulders, I believe. It is irregular, you know, to
preach in fields--wholly improper to save anybody's soul out of church;
and these English folks take the horrors at anything irregular. The
women like him because he makes them cry so much."

"Angus!" cried Flora and I together.

"That's what I was told, I assure you, young ladies," returned Angus, "I
am only repeating what I have heard."

"Well, that you may shortly have an opportunity of judging," said my
Uncle Drummond; "for this gentleman has come to Selkirk, and has asked
leave of the presbytery to preach in certain kirks of this
neighbourhood. There was some demur at first to the admission of a
Prelatist; but after some converse with him this was withdrawn, and he
will preach next Sabbath morning at Selkirk, and in the afternoon a